MRI Proton Density Fat Fraction helps predict risk of liver diseases

A recent study published in the Radiological Society of North America uncovered a significant link between liver Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and the risk of liver diseases. The findings suggest that MRI PDFF could serve as a crucial mediator for understanding metabolic phenotypes and liver disease risks.

The study included data from a substantial 32,858 participants, with more detailed information from 378,436 individuals. Results revealed that genetically predicted high liver MRI PDFF was associated with a significantly increased risk of various liver conditions. This included a 4.5-fold higher risk of malignant liver neoplasms, a 1.9-fold higher risk of alcoholic liver disease, and a 3.8-fold higher risk of cirrhosis of the liver. Additionally, the data showed a substantial link to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), with risks increased by 7.7-fold and 4.4-fold, respectively.

These associations were further validated when examining participants grouped by their liver MRI PDFF polygenic risk score. In all cases, the results remained statistically significant, strengthening the study's conclusions.

The research also delved into potential mediating factors, revealing that genetically predicted high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and waist-to-hip ratio played a role in the occurrence of fibrosis and cirrhosis of the liver, cirrhosis of the liver, and NAFLD at liver MRI PDFF. These mediating factors accounted for between 25.1% and 46.3% of the effect, further highlighting their importance in understanding liver health.

This study provides robust evidence of a causal link between genetically predicted liver MRI PDFF and the risk of liver diseases. The findings pave the way for a better understanding of metabolic phenotypes and liver health. Moreover, these results might contribute to the clinical implementation of MRI PDFF as a valuable tool for assessing liver disease risk. This knowledge has the potential to improve preventive and diagnostic strategies for liver diseases, thereby benefiting public health.

Source:

Xia, T., Du, M., Li, H., Wang, Y., Zha, J., Wu, T., & Ju, S. (2023). Association between Liver MRI Proton Density Fat Fraction and Liver Disease Risk. In Radiology (Vol. 309, Issue 1). Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.231007